Eagles quarterback depth getting stronger by the day

June 01, 2012|By Nick Fierro, Of The Morning Call

PHILADELPHIA — — Teammates first, competitors second.

Despite being the most repeated mantra in professional football each spring and summer, it resonates stronger than ever with the Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks these days, as they carry on full-squad organized team activities at the NovaCare Complex.

Even Michael Vick, whose starting job is not open for Mike Kafka, Nick Foles or Trent Edwards to win, knows nothing lasts forever.

"I know everything is riding on this season," he said.

Yet he does everything in his power to make the others better, and so on down the line.

"I feel like it's my responsibility as the leader of this team to make sure the guys are ready to play just as well as I am. So I'm having a lot of fun with them. They're very in-tune with what's going on, Mike is working very hard, Nick's been working very hard, and it shows on the practice field."

Even Edwards, who started slowly in his first action a week ago, feels like he's coming around, even though it appears now like it will be a struggle to move ahead of the rookie Foles for the third and possible final spot.

"It's getting comfortable with your surroundings too," Edwards said. "I don't mean to get too deep with you guys, but everybody, including you guys, have only known me for the last four-five weeks and it's a part of only being around people you've known for the last five weeks and constantly being around that on a daily basis.

"You don't have family or friends around here from back home around here, so obviously I'm on my own and I've been in this situation before. There's going to be ups and downs, but I need to keep progressing and keep moving in the right direction."

Before coming to the Eagles, Edwards had spent his entire career, most of it as a starter, in Buffalo. After spending last season out of the league, he comes to camp here having to make some significant adjustments.

"I don't have a timetable for you," he said. "There are times when I understand where I'm going with the ball and my footwork feels good, and then on the very next rep, that's not the case. I don't know when that is, and I wish I had an answer.

"I do feel like the mechanics here are enforced, which they should be at the quarterback position, and they are enforced here way more than what I have been through before. I'm just trying to tweak some things and have made some progress, but I have a long way to go."

So, obviously, does Foles, a surprise third-round pick out of Arizona.

That leaves Kafka as the clear choice now for the backup, a role he actually grew into last offseason when he took charge of the player-organized workouts in Marlton, N.J. during the lockout.

The Eagles wound up signing Vince Young to a one-year deal that didn't work out. Now it's Kafka's job for sure, unless he loses it, which doesn't seem likely this year, in which his command of the offense has been outstanding and his throws have never been better.

"I definitely feel way more comfortable in the system," he said. "Obviously the more times you run it, the more reps you get, the better off you're going to be. Right now I'm just trying to perfect things and be the best quarterback I can be."

As usual Kafka was the last one off the field on Thursday, the result of an extra 15 minutes of throwing on his own to some receivers.

Kafka knows the Eagles didn't draft Foles in the third round to be a third-team quarterback.

And yet ... "We're on the same team," Kafka said. "We're all trying to get better. I know I was a rookie and I was asking questions.Kevin [Kolb] and Mike were there to help me, so I have to do the same thing they did to me — and that's pass on knowledge and experiences that I've had, good or bad, for the team as a whole to get better."

In a perfect world, Mike Kafka doesn't take a snap in 2012.

In the real world, given Vick's injury history, Kafka likely will start three games and see action in two or three others. His ability can be every bit as crucial as Vick's in getting the Eagles where they need to be by February.

As of this week, the pecking order for backup quarterback is clear. Mike Kafka, entering his third season since being drafted in 2010, is the top candidate. Nick Foles, drafted two months ago, has moved into the next spot, ahead of veteran Trent Edwards, a former starter in this league who spent last season out of football.